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Owner Jennifer Patterson (left) and manager Stefanie Epworth are already busy this Christmas season at the Inspiring Accents store on Arthur Street in Elmira, which had its official opening Dec. 6.

Whenever Jennifer Patterson’s friends would drop by her house for a visit, they’d often comment on how nice the interior décor looked. Now that she and her husband Derek just opened Inspiring Accents in Elmira, those same friends – and everyone else, too – will likely get a chance to try those same styles in their own homes.
The Elmira couple, originally from Walkerton, recently opened Inspiring Accents on the corner of Arthur and Church streets in Elmira. The grand opening was held Dec. 6.
The store carries all sorts of products for the home and for “her” including: jewellery, purses, mirrors, ottomans, pictures, picture frames, vases, and greenery. Some early favourites this season are Christmas decorations, as well as dishware, serving ware and jewellery.
“Hopefully you can come in and be inspired … [so] instead of redoing an entire room, it’s amazing what you can do with just one or two pieces or a different texture, or just changing up the colour – you don’t have to spend a whole lot of money just to make a change,” said Jennifer Patterson of the philosophy behind Inspiring Accents.
Boosted by local suppliers, the store carries products from throughout the province as well as from overseas.
Patterson had always entertained the idea of opening such a store.
Armed with the knowledge obtained by studying interior decorating Jennifer was eager to pursue the venture. She was further motivated when a friend in Hanover, who runs her own store, suggested that she’d help her friend launch the Elmira venture.
Subsequently, when the former Reichard’s building on Church Street came up for sale last year, the Pattersons jumped on the chance to put their plan into action.
Although both Jennifer and Derek work other jobs – Jennifer in human resources, Derek in marketing – they are finding time to do both.
“This is what I like doing. In HR, I work in a technology company, so I’ve been through two – I’m on my third start-up – I guess I’ve always watched businesses start, and have always been around the entrepreneurial type of people. There’s always an excitement to starting up your own business, and it’s probably more where my passion lies than anything else,” said Jennifer.
Derek’s background in marketing communications, of course, didn’t hurt either.
Born and raised in Walkerton, the Pattersons moved to Elmira some two years ago with the birth of their second child, after about a decade of living in Waterloo.
“I had my heart set on Elmira: A, because there wasn’t anything really around; B, the fact that I could walk back and forth to work and being close to home,” she explained.
“I really like the idea of being in a small town.”
Because she is still working full-time at her other place of employment, Jennifer has a manager looking after the store when she’s not around.
Needless to say, between caring for a young family and balancing two jobs during the Christmas rush, the Pattersons are really busy these days.
“I’m thinking I could use some sleep right now, but everyone keeps saying sleep’s overrated …,” she quipped.